OUR LIFE IN CHALABRE: An American Expat in the South of France

RENNES-LE-CHATEAU (April 2005) A Google search for "Rennes le Château" finds 1.3 million sites. No need therefore to recap here the story of its colorful priest Berenger Sauniere, his mysterious wealth, the as-yet-undiscovered treasure, and the village's historical connections to the Merovingians, the Holy Grail and other famous Mysteries, whigh recently inspire Dan Brown's best-selling DA VINCI CODE. It can all be found here. Rennes-le-Château stands proudly atop of a hill in Languedoc about 20 miles east of Chalabre and we drove there on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. View of Couiza, the nearest big town, from the mountain road leading to R-L-C The surrounding countryside (North) The surrounding countryside (South) A pittoresque ruin on a street corner in R-L-C R-L-C's Main Street Mysterious Carving on a wall - is the Treasure near? (we wish!) A cross on a street corner The famous Tour Magdala Another View of the Magdala Tower  Abbe Sauniere's House The Watch Tower A street of R-L-C   The Entrance to the Gardens A Cross in the Church Gardens Virgin Mary Statue in the Church Gardens   An Old House in R-L-C